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Early Beginnings
Dating to 1904, the V-12 engine was originally intended for racing boats. It soon began showing up on aircraft and military equipment. The first automobile to have a V-12 was the 1912 Packard Twin Six.
Auburn, Cadillac, Franklin, Lincoln, and Pierce-Arrow followed soon after with V-12 offerings. In 1936, British automaker Rolls-Royce fitted a V-12 into the Phantom III, and Ferrari has offered a V-12 powered model in its lineup every year since its 1947 beginnings.
An F1 Racing Pedigree
One of the first racing cars to employ a V-12 engine was a Ferrari, which used a 1.5-liter V-12 in 1950. Later that year, with better track fuel economy in mind, Ferrari developed a naturally aspirated 3.3-liter V-12. In 1951, Ferrari debuted a 4.5-liter V-12, thereby winning its first British Grand Prix Championship.
Luigi Villoresi Ferrari 375 – 1951 Italian Grand Prix
From the 1960s to the late 1980s, V-12 engines proliferated in Formula One racing. For automakers like Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Honda, Lamborghini, and Maserati, V-12s were not only more powerful, they held up better mechanically.
Meanwhile, Ford’s F1 racing machines used V-8 engines to obtain a superior power-to-weight ratio compared to a V-12. This spurred manufacturers to move in that direction. By 1995, Ferrari’s last V-12 entry in F1—the 044—was permanently shelved.
A Symbol of Prestige
In the world of personal luxury automobiles, a vehicle powered by a V-12 engine has long been a status symbol, and most premium luxury brands have offered a V-12. But these days, the V-12’s prestige has faded, with sales dwindling to a rounding error.
2023 Ferrari 812 GTS V-12 engine
Today’s smaller engines produce more than enough power. Notoriously high repair and maintenance costs, reliability issues, and stricter emission regulations put the V-12 on the endangered species list. Some manufacturers still have a V-12 on the roster, but they are few and far between—and they cost big bucks.
V-12 Engine Vehicles You Can Buy in 2023
While their days may be numbered, there are still V-12-powered luxury sedans, exotic sports cars, and luxury SUVs in dealer showrooms.
Aston Martin DBS: $330,000 to $475,000
2017 Aston Martin DB11 V-12
Get it while you can. Available as a coupe and convertible, DBS models include the Coupe, Volante, and Ultimate. All get a massive 759 horsepower from a twin-turbocharged 5.2-liter V-12. But 2023 marks the end of the line for the DBS. Aston Martin is building just 499 of the 770 Ultimate.
Ferrari 812 GTS: $440,000
2023 Ferrari 812 GTS
Available only as a convertible, the 812 GTS is powered by a 789-horsepower 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V-12 that delivers 530 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels. A thrilling combination of speed, luxury, and driving excitement, its zero-to-60-mph time is just 2.7 seconds.
Shop now for V-12 FerrarisLamborghini Aventador SVJ Roadster: $585,000
2020 Lamborghini Aventador SVJ Roadster
Powered by a 759-horsepower naturally aspirated V-12 engine, the SVJ Roadster is among the wildest supercars available today. It looks like it’s straight out of a science fiction movie, with a carbon fiber exterior and a robotized manual transmission with hydraulic levers that replace the need for a clutch pedal.
Mercedes-Maybach S680: $230,000 to $350,000
European spec 2021 Mercedes-Maybach S-Class
Mercedes discontinued the V-12 engine on its S-Class, G-Class, and SL models, leaving the Maybach S680 as the only V-12 in its lineup of super-luxury vehicles. All three S680 trim levels are powered by a 621-horsepower 6.0-liter V-12, delivering power to Mercedes’ 4Matic all-wheel-drive system.
Shop now for V-12 MaybachRolls-Royce Models: $355,000 to $650,000
2022 Rolls-Royce Ghost
When it comes to luxury, Rolls-Royce lands at the very top with no-compromise, tour-de-force excellence. And when it comes to performance, every Rolls-Royce model is powered by a mega-smooth twin-turbocharged 563-horsepower, 6.75-liter V-12 paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Black Badge editions of both the Ghost sedan and Cullinan SUVs up the V-12 horsepower to 592. The lone exception is the all-new and fully electric Rolls-Royce Spectre.
Shop now for V-12 Rolls RoycePagani Utopia: $2.5 Million
Pagani Utopia
The Pagani Utopia is powered by a V-12 engine, courtesy of Mercedes’ AMG performance division. It produced an incredible 852 horsepower, thanks in part to twin-turbocharged magic. Whether it is considered rolling art or automotive elitism, the Italian manufacturer will build just 99 of these “carbo-titanium” structured supercars.
